The Toledo Symphony Orchestra has graced the city of Toledo with its spectacular programming and performances for more than 80 years.
But it isn’t the only orchestra within the Metro Toledo area.
The Sylvania Community Orchestra is part of the Sylvania Arts community and comprises more than 65 volunteer musicians who perform three free concerts and small ensemble performances a year. Volunteers must audition and tackle well-known works by famous composers such as Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Johannes Brahms, and Ludwig van Beethoven.
The orchestra is performing its Summer Pops Concert at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Olander Park, 6930 Sylvania Ave., Sylvania, with its special guest, the Ballet Theatre of Toledo.
Ronald Koch is the music director and conductor, and James Gosman is president and principal oboe.
Another nearby orchestra that holds outdoor performances is the Perrysburg Symphony Orchestra at the summer music series Music Under the Stars at the Toledo Zoo or downtown Perrysburg is the Perrysburg Symphony Orchestra.
Madeleine Corbo , violinist and president of the board of directors, said the orchestra was formed in 1961 by Juliet Beck and its first conductor, Frank Menichetti. The organization achieved symphony status in 1970, and Toledo’s Mr. Music Sam Szor held the baton for 20 years.
At the beginning, Corbo said, the orchestra began as a group of local musicians seeking an outlet.
“It did begin as a community orchestra. It was not paid at the time,” she said.
Travis Jurgens joined the symphony in 2018 as music director and conductor. He is also the music director-conductor for the Cleveland-based Heights Chamber Orchestra.
“Really, it is an opportunity for music, local musicians, to perform in an orchestra setting,” Corbo said. “There’s a lot of literature that you just can’t play in a small ensemble or solo, or even with the piano. So unless you have a group like this, you don’t have that opportunity to perform that literature.”
Make no mistake, said Jurgens, these musicians are top-notch.
“Everyone is auditioned. There are only so many places available in the Toledo Symphony, and only so many chairs available. And so we offer the opportunity for other musicians to play, who were also very good,” Jurgens said. “We perform at a high level.”
Jurgens said the orchestra avoids concert dates that coincide with the Toledo Symphony. It is no competition; it just adds more chances for more music.
“So, having a community-based professional orchestra is really great to have in the parent community, where it's just in their backyard, where they can go and hear a professional orchestra concert,” Jurgens said.
Corbo agreed.
“Most of us have day jobs, right?” she said. “One of our violinists, she’s a pediatrician. Our French horn player, he is the CFO of an organization. I am a financial analyst for my day job. And so people come from all industries and all other walks of life, but we come together.”
Corbo said the Perrysburg community has “great support for the arts.”
“It doesn’t matter what your age is, it doesn’t matter where you went to school, or what you do for a living. We all come together for rehearsals [and] performances, to enrich the life of the Perrysburg community,” she added.
The orchestra performs a full musical season and is busy firming up what’s in store for 2024-25.
“We’re able to do a lot of standard repertoire and new music and just a great variety of repertoire that a community orchestra wouldn’t be able to do,” Jurgens said. “We’ve done some fantastic works, like Brahms symphonies 2 and 3; Tchaikovsky symphonies 5 and 6; and we’ve done a ‘celebrating diversity concert’ [that] incorporated many collaborations in the community.”
“They, work hard; they play well with great energy,” he added.
For concerts requiring the full orchestra, Corbo and Jurgens said musicians number between 45 and 55, and fewer for ensembles.
Jurgens said the orchestra plays at multiple venues.
“We perform at the Perrysburg high school and junior high, and at Grace Church. We also rehearse there, and then our chamber series is at Zoar Lutheran Church, and we’re going to have a concert at the Way Public Library this year too,” Jurgens said, adding the orchestra frequently partners with the Black Swamp Fine Arts School.
And then there’s always the great outdoors when the weather permits.
“I love those outdoor concerts in the summer here in Ohio, particularly northwest Ohio,” Corbo said. “We have such wonderful summer weather. I’m originally from the New Orleans area, so summers are like being in the Amazon rainforest down there. Here it's a real delight.”
But there’s more to an outdoor concert than the weather.
“Having a concert outdoor and an outdoor venue nurtures a community mind-set,” she said. “It helps us give back to the community.”
And it helps attract audiences to fall performances.
“It also helps us get more of an awareness of our existence to people who otherwise would not have known about us. We’re sometimes the best-kept secret in Perrysburg,” Corbo added.
It’s a secret that must be uncovered then because orchestras such as Perrysburg’s or Sylvania’s only augment the area’s musical treasures.
■ The area’s longest-running jazz festival, the Sunset Jazz & Art Festival, brings the jazz Sunday from 2 p.m. until sunset in downtown Grand Rapids, Ohio.
Live entertainment, as always, features local greats, such as the Lake Erie Jazz Band, Morgen Hammer Quintet, the 6th Edition, and Keigo Hirakawa .
Sponsored by the Grand Rapids Arts Council, the free event will have adult beverages, bottled water, sodas, and food available along the towpath.
Coming up
■ Toledo Botanical Garden, 5403 Elmer Dr., Toledo. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. Thursday. Jazz in the Garden. Jean Holden . Aug. 22, April Varner Band. Tickets are $10 at the gate. Metroparks members can purchase two tickets and receive 50 percent off. Show your membership card at admission. For membership information call 419-407-9755.
■ Levis Square Park, St. Clair St., and Madison Ave. 11:30 a.m. Thursday. Lunch at Levis Square: Live entertainment by Bliss, food vendors, and other activities. Free.
■ Commodore Schoolyard, 140 E. Indiana Ave., Perrysburg. 7 p.m. Thursday. Music at the Market. King Mango. Aug. 22, Ol’ King Road. Free.
■ Bittersweet Farms, Pavilion, 12660 Archbold-Whitehouse Rd., Whitehouse. 11:30 a.m. Friday. Music Vine Concert Series: Bliss. Free.
■ Foundation Park Amphitheater, 124 W. Tiffin St., Fostoria; 7 p.m. Friday. Special guests Zac and Emily Howard from Dream On (a mission to South America), Revive Ohio, and the Gideons International.
■ Centennial Terrace, 5773 Centennial Rd., Sylvania. 8 p.m. Saturday. Outdoor Summer Concert Series. Get the Led Out. “Celebration of the Mighty Zep.” Tickets start at $25. Visit centennialterrace.org .
■ Hoover Auditorium: 115 W. 3rd St., Lakeside Marblehead, Ohio; 7:30 p.m. Friday. One Night in Memphis: No. 1 Tribute to Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Johnny Cash. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, ABBAMania Canada. Visit lakesideohio.com for pricing and passes.
■ Downtown Waterville. 3 p.m. Saturday. Oliver Hazard Day. Oliver Hazard, Susto Stringband featuring Holler Choir, Bre Kennedy, Jeremie Albino , DJ Jon Zenz , graffiti by Chilly Rodriguez , food trucks, vendors, and craft beer.
■ Promenade Park, 400 Water St., Toledo. 5 p.m. Saturday. Strictly R&B Park Jam. Live performances from Adina Howard , Bobby Valentino , Case, and Sammie , food, and more. eventbrite.com/strictlyrnb419 . Attendees must be 21 years or older.
■ Put-in-Bay Airport, 1494 Langram Rd., Put-in-Bay, Ohio. 3 p.m. Aug. 21, 22. Bash on the Bay. Jelly Roll with Oliver Anthony , Warren Zeiders , Ashland Craft , and Logan Crosby : Wed.; Hardy with Earnest, Drake White and the Fire, Tigerlily Gold, and Cory Farley . Visit bashonthebay.com for prices and times.
■ Gesu Church front lawn of the Gesu Rectory, 2040 Parkside Blvd. 7 p.m. Sunday. Polish American Concert Band.
■ Riverside Park, 200 W. Main Cross St., Findlay; 11:30 p.m. Tuesday. Lunchtime Live. Bridge Live Duo. Free.
■ Town Center at Levis Commons at the Fountain, 3201 Levis Commons Blvd., Perrysburg. 11:30 a.m. Wednesday Levis Commons Summer Music Series. Josh Kirk .
■ Woodlands Park (shelter area), 429 E. Boundary, Perrysburg. Noon Wednesday. Wednesday at Woodlands Lunchtime Concert Series: Kyle White Duo.
■ The Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre: 2600 Atwater St., Detroit; 8 p.m. Friday. Gladys Knight . Tickets from $45; 8 p.m. Saturday, Trey Songz . Tickets from $49.50 Visit thearetha.com for more information.
■ Croswell Opera House, 129 E. Maumee St., Adrian. 5:30 p.m. Sunday. Farver’s at the Croswell. Dayshift. Call 517-264-7469 or visit croswell.org .
■ Kerrytown Concert House, 415 N. Fourth Ave., Ann Arbor. 7:30 p.m. Friday. Ann Arbor Festival of Song’s Song Fest 2024: Life is a Cabaret. A recital of cabaret and musical theater hits. $25 general admission, $15 student. Visit kerrytownconcerthouse.com , email kch@kerrytownconcerthouse.com , or call 734-769-2999 with your name, the number in your party, and contact information. Cash or check will be accepted at the door.
■ St. Mary’s Park Bandshell, 111 W. Elm Ave., Monroe. 7 p.m. Thursday. Monroe Summer Concert Series: Category 5. Free.
■ Bedford Library, 875 Jackman Rd., Temperance. 5:30 p.m. Thursday. Summer Music Series: Live music by Patrick Caligiuri P3K (90s, oldies, and country). Bring a lawn chair or blanket.
■ Madison Street, Port Clinton. 6 p.m. Friday. Samba Da Cidade Ensemble Concert, performing as part of Riverfront Live. Led by FSO percussionist Dylan Moffitt , Samba da Cidade, or Samba of the City, promotes the joys found in rhythm and movement that accompany world styles of drumming. Free.
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